Montserrat, island and overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Located in the Lesser Antilles chain, this pear-shaped island is known as the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.” The de facto capital is St. John’s, in the northern part of the island. Plymouth, on the southwestern coast, was the capital and only port of entry until 1997, when volcanic eruptions destroyed much of the town and the island’s most spectacular vegetation. Sighted and named by Christopher Columbus in 1493, Montserrat is a rich admixture of African, North American, and European influences. Its physical and human landscapes have been battered but not obliterated by the series of natural disasters that beset the island. Area 40 square miles (103 square km). Pop. (2001 est.) 3,600.

Land

Montserrat lies 27 miles (43 km) southwest of Antigua and about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of Guadeloupe. It is 11 miles (18 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide. The island’s rugged, volcanic landscape is molded by three mountainous areas—the Silver Hills, Centre Hills, and Soufrière Hills—which are in turn cut by narrow valleys and gorges known locally as ghauts. The Silver Hills, in the north, and the Centre Hills are forested at higher elevations but have secondary scrub on their gentler lower contours. Chances Peak, at 3,000 feet (915 metres) in the Soufrière Hills, was the highest point on the island until the mid-1990s, when the first volcanic eruptions in Montserratian history dramatically changed the landscape. Beginning in July 1995, volcanic domes in the Soufrière Hills alternately grew and collapsed in a series of eruptions that killed 19 people in June 1997 and flattened nearly 2.7 square miles (7 square km) of forests, agricultural land, and villages in December of that year. Many of the domes rose higher than 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) before partly collapsing.

Montserrat has a narrow coastal plain. Its few beaches have mainly gray or brown sand because of their volcanic origins; the single white-sand beach is at Rendezvous Bay in the north. Coral reefs line parts of the northern shore. Though Montserrat’s most lush vegetation, in the southern highlands, was destroyed in the eruptions, the Centre Hills remain largely unaffected by the eruptions. Among the island’s rare and endangered animals are Montserrat orioles, galliwasps (lizards), and “mountain chickens,” which are edible frogs found in the highlands.

The climate is tropical and mild, and there is little seasonal variation in temperature or rainfall. Average temperatures range from lows of 70–76 °F (21–24 °C) to highs of 80–86 °F (27–30 °C). The warmest period is from June to November. Annual precipitation averages about 57 inches (1,448 mm). The island is often in the path of hurricanes; Hurricane Hugo in 1989 was particularly devastating.

People

The population is largely of black African ancestry, with a small number of white North American and European expatriates, mainly retirees with homes on the island. The official language is English, but most Montserratians also speak a Creole similar to that spoken in Jamaica. The main religious denominations are Anglican, Methodist, and Roman Catholic; Seventh-day Adventists and Pentecostalists are increasing in numbers. Some older Montserratians follow obeah, a traditional belief system based on superstitions.

Until the volcanic activity began, Montserrat’s population remained relatively stable because of emigration and a low birth rate. Plymouth and its environs were the main centres of settlement. The island’s population exceeded 10,000 in the early 1990s, but during the volcano crisis more than two-thirds of Montserratians departed for Britain, neighbouring Antigua, and other parts of the Caribbean region. Some had returned by the late 1990s; however, renewed eruptions have discouraged resettlement, and access to the southern two-thirds of the island has been restricted. Temporary or semipermanent housing has been built in the northern part of the island for many of the residents who lost homes in the south.

Economy

Volcanic activity caused the virtual collapse of the economy when Plymouth, the main commercial centre, was abandoned. Montserrat has since relied heavily on British aid to build a new transportation infrastructure and provide services. The largest sources of employment are now public services and construction. Montserrat’s currency, the East Caribbean dollar, is issued by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (headquartered in Saint Kitts and Nevis), which also regulates rates of credit and foreign exchange.

The eruptions damaged or made inaccessible most of the island’s agricultural land, but some potatoes, onions, and other vegetables are still produced for the domestic market. In the early 20th century Sea Island cotton was Montserrat’s major export; however, production subsequently declined, and from the 1970s the government’s attempts to revive the industry largely failed. Until the 1990s most workers in the Plymouth area were employed in services (notably tourism) and trade, light manufacturing (food processing, plastic bags, textiles, automotive and electronic components), and construction (mainly building tourist facilities and retirement housing). Tourism was the most important sector of the economy. Most of the island’s tourists were long-term visitors such as North American retirees intent on escaping cold winters.

Montserrat’s W.H. Bramble Airport, which was opened in 1956 on the central eastern coast, was closed because of volcanic activity in 1997. Since then the island has been linked with Antigua via helicopter service and a ferry terminal at Little Bay, in the northwestern part of the island. The network of open roads has been restricted to the northern third of the island. Montserrat is a member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

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